Better After

6 In decor

Cow Flippin

Are you in the mood for something quirky? If not, look away! Because this post is about a cow skull makeover! Don’t be alarmed, I’m pretty sure this is a fake cow skull, unless it is an unknown species of very, very tiny cows, but I think we are safe. That would be some tender beef though…

Hey, did I ever tell you about that one time I stayed at a hotel in Camp Verde, AZ, and there was a definitely NOT FAKE cow skull on the wall, teeth and little sprouts of hair and everything? And I couldn’t sleep with that thing looking at me, so I hung a towel over it? And it was still bothering me, so I took it off the wall and hid it under the sink? This thing is way cuter.

From M.D. at The Fancy Pants. Take some time to poke around, she’s got a few more funky finds over there!

May 20, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In other rooms

Stylin’ Studio

If you have emailed me lately and haven’t heard back, I’m sorry! School’s out, I’ve got several big projects due in my real-life work, and I’m also in the midst of potty-training. (My daughter, not myself. I’ve been successfully potty-trained for quite some time now).

What I need is a quiet little office with a door that can be shut, a feature that is missing in my current office, AKA the corner with the computer in it. Then maybe peace and creativity could flow! Sigh. Someday! I’ll be sure to borrow inspiration from Gloria’s studio makeover here. Don’t you love the gradient drawers on that hutch? Take the grand tour on her blog A Little Paint. Thanks Gloria!

May 19, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

17 In tables/dressers

No Country for Old Dressers

Apparently IKEA went through a country phase just like I did! Shut up, you did too. Wasn’t there some point in your past when you watched Pure Country with George Strait, and you decided you wanted to marry a cowboy, and you listened to nothing but Martina McBride for a whole summer, and you asked your mom to buy you a pair of Wranglers? No? Just me then? Ok.

Well, that phase has come and gone, and so has this look. Melanie attacked her 1997 dresser set with a paint and distress technique that makes it look even older than ever! Isn’t it funny that we do that in order to update? Looks great though! Check out the rest of the set on her blog Sweet Mellie Rose.

Really random side note: Spell check told me I spelled “technique” wrong, and so it suggested “doorknocker” instead. What the waaaa? Have you been drinking, spell check?

May 19, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In chairs/ottomans/seating

File Away

I’ve been s-l-o-w in getting after it today. For some reason I got into this OCD cleaning frenzy and have spent the entire day scrubbing my baseboards with a toothbrush. Sorry that your life isn’t as cool as mine.

But here’s something that’s cool, a chair makeover with PAINT! You heard me, Kristy painted right over the worn upholstery on this chair! I think it looks gorgeous. And don’t you worry, it isn’t crunchy. I imagined the chair would have a texture suitable for filing your nails while you sat in it, but she reports that that isn’t the case. (Darn it. Would have been handy…)

Anyway, she gives you the whole step by step process on her blog Hyphen Interiors. Check-ch-check it out!

May 18, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In desks/hutches/buffets

Rustic Charm

Better After reader Karen wasn’t deterred by the eight missing drawers on this curbside freebie. I, on the other hand, would have shaken my head in sadness and kept on driving. Oh, Lindsey, when will you LEARN?!

Nope, Karen just rigged up a couple of new doors and added some cute buns (I’m talking about the feet) and gave it a whole new look. I think it would be perfect for you, if you happen to live in Albuquerque, own a Mexican restaurant, or just love bright colors and southwestern flair! Total cost of this project came to about $55. Thanks Karen!

May 18, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

17 In Uncategorized

Feeling Blue, Looking Green

This dresser makeover wasn’t Kerry’s first time at the redoing rodeo. Nope, she’d already given this shabby piece a fiery paint job once before.

But now it was needed in the nursery, and so it got a calming coat of turquoise and some girlified knobs to complete the look.

Check it out on her blog First Time Fancy. I have to say, I much prefer the turquoise version. I just happen to like that color, OK? What’s that? You do too? Well, you are in luck, because I have a few more makeovers up my virtual sleeve, each one drawing inspiration from the blue-green slices of the color wheel pie:

How about an outdoor bench from Cat? The before was rather uninspiring, and looks to me like she might have even stolen it right off the steps of my old high school! It hardly looks like a standardized school regulation fixture now though! See the process on her blog No Wooden Spoons.

A little boy blue nightstand gets a grown-up look from Lindsay at Tails to Tell.

I love the aged aqua look that Lisa has perfected here. See in on her blog Recaptured Charm. She actually calls the color “Jade.” I call it fabulous! And also, “aged aqua,” but I already told you that.

And Jesse from Nine Red has also distressed and aged these end tables past the “repainted furniture” realm and right into “work of art!” That’s what I love about the turquoise family, there are so many shades and variants to choose from. I am drawn to the darker tones, like the colors below, but the bright and zany shades are fun too.

And hey look! For your handy reference, I have color-picked shades from each project in this post and made you a super convenient paint chip! I don’t think anyone is going to give me a job naming paint

colors anytime soon though, sigh.